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Fluoride in the Water Supply
Spotsylvania County adds fluoride to drinking water at the request of, and in accordance with recommendations from, federal and state public health agencies. On April 27, 2015, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommended that water utilities lower the level of fluoride in drinking water to a single target of 0.7 parts per million (PPM). Spotsylvania County’s current treatment target for fluoride is 0.7 ppm. For more information about the HHS recommendation, please view the Archive-It website.
The Decision
The addition of fluoride to drinking water is a decision that is usually made at a community level. In Spotsylvania County, we are no different. Fluoride is being added to the drinking water supply at the urging of the State Department of Health and at the request of the communities we serve. Its addition serves no purpose in the water treatment process. It is added to serve a public health goal.
The Issues
The issues regarding the benefits of adding fluoride to drinking water have been debated for a number of years. The addition of fluoride to drinking water was identified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as one of the top ten health achievements of the 20th century. You may read more about the perspective of the CDC and the history of the fluoridation of drinking water by viewing the CDC website.
The Study
In 2006, the National Academies (NAS) undertook a study of the secondary maximum contaminant level of fluoride in drinking water. The study concluded that the Environmental Protection Agency should conduct further evaluations of its primary maximum contaminant level for fluoride (which is 4 parts per million) and that the secondary maximum contaminant level of 2 parts per million is safe. You can learn more about the NAS study at the NAS website.
For More Information
Spotsylvania County Utilities Department is ready to respond to further guidance from the regulatory community. If you have any questions or need further information, please call us at 540-507-7300.